Account Limitation: PayPal asking for birth date of NON-ACCOUNT HOLDER

[123jen45]

PayPal has put a limitation on my account and asked for a bunch of information they already had for me, and which I have re-supplied. They are now asking for the birth date of the person to whom the shipment was addressed, and who is NOT a PayPal account holder. How is that legal? How does PayPal think they are entitled to private information for a non-account holder?

Here's the situation. I placed an order with a pet food supplier and stupidly chose to pay through PayPal. PayPal took the money from my bank account but listed the transaction as "pending" and refused to pay the Vendor. I cancelled the order directly with the Vendor because I couldn't wait to have the dog food  order delayed--my dogs needed it! I asked PayPal for my refund. They told me no transaction would be processed unless I explained what the order was for. I told them it was dog food, which the purchase summary clearly said it was. Then PayPal asked me again to explain what the item was. I told them again. Then PayPal came back and asked me to supply photo ID (which they've already had for me for years).  I supplied it.

Now they have asked for the birth date of the person who was to receive the order of dog food -- my husband whose name was on the pet food store account. I will not supply this. He is not a PayPal account holder. PayPal is not entitled to private information for people who do not do business with them.

All I want is my money back. PayPal will not answer my messages sent through the online complaint, except with automated responses. They send me emails with one line requesting what they want, but won't respond as a human and answer my questions why they need this information. They will NOT reply to the Vendor's requests to allow the refund to be processed. I can not get an English speaking customer service agent on the phone because I am not based in an English speaking country.

This has gone on for more than a week!

What are my next steps? Again, I'm not giving them my husband's birth date.

[Gone2TheDogs]

I was notified a little over an hour ago that my "account was restored" (though the only limitation was on this payment; everything else ran through the account just fine while this was pending) so I am assuming the payment will now be processed. 

It does show as pending on my credit card, as it did even before I submitted the information, so I'm not sure what this was all about, actually.  I have submitted everything to Sen. Warren's office and will post again if they are able to determine and tell me why this is happening to people.

[Plfs2000]

Having the same issue. I sent a gift to a person, and PayPal is asking for their birthdate. I cannot provide proof of this. I will no longer be using PayPal if this cannot be resolved.

[Yannatara]

Dealing with the same ridiculous scenario for the first time.

Unfortunately, I chose to pay for an online course/consultation via PayPal - in the comment section I mentioned the name of the person who is providing the consultation just for my own reference. The Paypal account for the transaction actually belongs to their partner. Paypal is asking me for the DOB of the person I put as a reference in the comment (NOT the account holder). Of course I don't know it and they are not comfortable providing it to me as it is personal information. This is really bizarre. 

[DiplomatX]

Just Google the name and birthdate and give them whatever comes up. They’ll never know the difference.

[aa1234]

I too have experienced this.  I paid for an event registration for a friend and PayPal now wants his date of birth even though it's not his account.  

[Gone2TheDogs]

I strongly urge everyone to contact your senators about this.

[Gone2TheDogs]

I just had another transaction put on hold but it went through a day or two later without further intervention.  Meaning I was not asked for any more information, including anyone's birthday.  This one was also sending money to the animal rescuer in Mexico, but this one was going to his account, not to the veterinary clinic.  But I also made sure not to put anything in the "Notes" which is how I got hung up last time.

I sent information to Sen. Warren's office via her website and to an aide who had helped me with something completely different before.  I suspect they are inundated with COVID-related requests so instead I am going to file a complaint with the agency she built: the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/getting-started/

Perhaps others would like to do so, as well.

[PM3553]

I have also had a limitation put on my account.  I sent a package to my daughter and now they are asking for her date of birth.  They won't provide any information as to why they want her date of birth.  I've been using Paypal for years and never had an issue until recently.  You have no way of rectifying the situation because their customer service representatives don't have the authority to remove a limitation.  They have no information to give so you can speak to someone who does have the authority.  

[Gone2TheDogs]

I would strongly encourage you, and everyone, to report this to your senators.  I reported it to Sen. Warren's office but have not heard back.  And I no longer use PayPal unless I absolutely have to.

[Temp20230409a]

This has just happened to me, I have a family member coming to stay with me and I purchased a gift for them to be delivered to my address, and PayPal are witholding payment to the vender until I supply the DOB of my family member. I am a data handler, I know my GDPR and PayPal have absolute zero grounds to be asking for that information for someone who is not associated with the account and is not an account holder. They are claiming it is part of their regulatory obligations, it isn't.